Lego Pulls Controversial Set From Shelves

[1]Popular toymaker Lego is ending the production of one of its building sets after being accused of cultural insensitivity.

A muslim group — the Turkish Cultural Association of Austria — says the “Jabba’s Palace” set is culturally insensitive and potentially racist, NBC News reports[2].

The set — modeled on the home of Star Wars intergalactic gangster Jabba the Hut from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi — features what the group says is a building that resembles the Hagia Sophia, a historic mosque and church in Istanbul, Turkey. The set also features a tower that the group says is similar to a minaret, which is the tower that the calls to prayer are made from in Islam.

The group met with Lego representatives in Munich last week. Lego is claiming that there was no connection between the meeting and its decision to stop production of the set. In a tweet, the company said that, “We only keep a product in the assortment for a few years and it was scheduled to exit in 2013 from launch.”

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